(Updated June 26, 2020)
The Cardinals paid $75,000 and gave up a trio of players for a pitcher who netted them two outs.
Guillermo Romero “Memo” Luna pitched in one game for the Cardinals in 1954, failed to complete an inning and never played in the big leagues again.
A left-hander, Luna was the first Mexican-born player to appear in a game for the Cardinals.
On April 20, 1954, he got the start in his Cardinals debut against the Reds at St. Louis, even though his arm was hurting.
In the clubhouse before the game, the St. Louis Globe-Democrat reported, “Luna smiled his usual pleasant fashion and said his arm felt fine and indicated by widening the grin and slapping his glove that he was ready to go out and do a little pitching.”
The confidence gave way to a shelling.
In the first inning, Luna yielded two runs on two doubles, two walks and a sacrifice fly. He was lifted with two outs. One of the outs came on a fly ball caught by Stan Musial with his back against the wall. Boxscore
“He was pounded so hard … that manager Eddie Stanky would hardly be justified in another such risky trial,” the St. Louis Post-Dispatch observed.
The Globe-Democrat declared Luna had “a hard time throwing a nickel’s worth” of the price the club paid to acquire him.
A few days later, the Cardinals dispatched Luna to their farm club in Rochester, N.Y.
Though he continued to pitch in the minor leagues and in Mexico until 1961, Memo Luna never returned to the majors.
His big-league career totals: 0-1 record, 27.00 ERA, 0.2 innings, 2 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, 6 batters faced.
Super southpaw
In 1951, after he was 26-13 for Tijuana of the Southwest International League, Luna was pursued by the St. Louis Browns, but the San Diego club in the Pacific Coast League had a working agreement with Tijuana and acquired him. In addition to his pitching, Luna was a sketch artist. Asked what he sketched, Luna told the Globe-Democrat, “Everything in life.”
On Sept. 23, 1953, the Cardinals acquired Luna from San Diego for $75,000 and players to be named. They eventually sent pitchers Cliff Chambers and John Romonosky and outfielder Harry Elliott to San Diego, completing the deal.
At the time, Luna, 23, seemed worth the price. He had a 17-12 record and a league-best 2.67 ERA with 16 complete games for San Diego in 1953. Jack Bliss, a catcher for the 1908-1912 Cardinals, watched Luna at San Diego and told Cardinals manager Eddie Stanky, “He’s got exceptional control and a good curve.”
Cardinals scout Joe Mathes checked him out and was impressed. Luna is “a great control pitcher with other skills,” Mathes told the Post-Dispatch. “His knuckleball and curve are very good, he has tremendous poise on the mound and is outstanding in fielding his position and holding runners on base.”
That fall, Luna pitched in the Cuban League for Almendares and manager Bobby Bragan. The Cardinals granted permission with the understanding Luna would quit around Dec. 1, The Sporting News reported.
Luna posted a 4-1 record in his first five decisions for Almendares. The Sporting News wrote Luna “has shown remarkable poise and control, plus a fine knuckler.”
After Luna lost his next two decisions as the Dec. 1 deadline loomed, the Cardinals suggested he leave Cuba and rest his arm before reporting to spring training in February. Luna obliged and went to St. Louis, where he passed a physical examination.
While in St. Louis, Luna told the Cardinals that a day in his honor was being planned in Mexico City and he was being asked to pitch, the Globe-Democrat reported. The Cardinals misunderstood, thinking the game was in December, not February, and agreed to let Luna pitch, the Globe-Democrat reported.
Luna went home to Mexico, believing he had the Cardinals’ approval to pitch on Memo Luna Day.
Worn down
On Feb. 19, 1954, pitching for the Mexico City Reds against Aztecas, Luna struck out a batter in the third inning and grabbed his left elbow in pain.
According to The Sporting News, Luna stayed in the game until its completion, yielding five runs and nine hits in nine innings, and “was throwing with only half speed after the injury.” It was the second farewell game he pitched since returning to Mexico. The Cardinals’ front office had approved him to pitch only one, the Post-Dispatch reported.
Luna reported late to Cardinals spring training camp in Florida, complaining of a sore arm.
“We asked Luna to quit pitching Dec. 1, but we have no way of controlling what a man does back in his home country,” said Stanky.
In spring training, Luna failed to impress. He gave up three runs in two innings to the Phillies and surrendered a two-run, game-winning home run to the Reds’ Gus Bell. The Post-Dispatch described his exhibition game efforts as “a sorry spring.”
Having paid a high price for him, the Cardinals put Luna on the Opening Day roster.
He got the start in the Cardinals’ sixth game of the season _ and never got another chance with them again.
“Luna, in Spanish, means moon, but only the English version, outfielder Wally Moon, has resembled a star in the making,” the Post-Dispatch concluded.
After Luna’s demotion to Rochester, Bob Burnes of the Globe-Democrat wrote, “Whether he hurt his arm before he started for spring training or whether it was something else, like maybe getting and feeling a little lost in the hustle and bustle of major league work, no one can say except Luna and he apparently can’t explain it himself. If he regains his control and confidence, both of which he must have to win, the Cardinals probably will accommodate him with a second look. If he doesn’t, they’ll probably leave him at Rochester.”
In late June 1954, when asked whether Luna would be a candidate to return to the Cardinals, Rochester manager Harry Walker told the Post-Dispatch, “Frankly, I’d have to consider him doubtful.”
Luna told the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, “Could I pitch for the Cardinals? Without the fastball, no. If my arm was not hurt anymore, I can pitch for the Cardinals.”
Said Walker: “His changeup and his curveball are his strong points, but his control has to be sharp or he’s in trouble.”
Luna was 9-11 with a 3.50 ERA for Rochester in 1954.
Used primarily in relief, Luna pitched for manager Johnny Keane with the Cardinals’ farm club in Omaha in 1955 and was 4-4 with a 5.43 ERA. Luna spent a season in the Orioles’ farm system and played the rest of his career in Mexico.
A very interesting post. Is there any truth to the story that a few of the Tijuana owners had already sold Luna to the St. Louis Browns? I noticed that Tom Alston was also on the 1953 San Diego team.
Thanks. In answer to your question, here is what the Post-Dispatch reported on Sept. 23, 1953: “The Browns in 1951 bought Luna. They made a deal with Tijuana, but San Diego had a working agreement with that club which gave San Diego the right to select a player. San Diego chose Luna. The claim of the Browns was put before George Trautman, head of the minor leagues, and the Browns’ deal was abrogated.”